JFK: The power of a 1963 dollar in Stamford

Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, November 21, 2013

Looking back at The Advocate of Nov. 22, 1963, to see how we covered the assassination of John F. Kennedy, we can't help but marvel over the advertisements of the day. The "modern" items and sales pitches of the day that now look so humorously dated, and of course the prices that are so hard to fathom today.

The ads were already starting to reference Christmas before Nov. 22, but in the days that followed JFK's assassination, the cheery holiday shopping ads were replaced with solemn memorial ads taken out by local businesses.

Take a look at what was local retailers were selling back then. The ads give a flavorful slice of local history:

• Sarner's at 184 Atlantic St. advertised women's holiday evening dresses ranging in price from $15 to $30, and men's winter coats from $40 to $65.

• Lang's at 21 Stage St. -- There's no other store in Stamford quite like Lang's, the ad reads -- urged "smart shoppers" to rush in for "unusual" Christmas gifts.

• The Capri Restaurant of 299 Shippan Ave. announced it was moving to larger quarters at 917 High Ridge Road. And Martin's kosher market announced its move to 20 Adams Ave., where it would have more parking and a greater selection of meats. And turkeys were 35 to 39 cents a pound at First National Stores.

• Bloomingdales at 20 Broad St. had an ad for its second-floor "Toytown," where shoppers could find potential Christmas gifts for kids, including an accordion for $7.98, a toy suit of armor for $6.98, a miniature kitchen for $5.98 and a microscope and lab set for $5.98.